Wich kalkwasser/Nielsen reactor to choose ?

[ricimer]

Hi!
I want to buy a Nielsen/kalkwasser reactor. I am hesitating as to wich one (what brand) I should get. I am leaning toward the Aquamedic. It seems to hold a greater volume of water and I guess it means I can put more powder and have to add powder less often. I dont want to have to add powder too frequently. I also tought about the AE Tech. The PM is more expensive and of smaller volume. I dont want to go DIY. What are your experiences/opinions?
Thanks!
Ricimer

 

[mojoreef]

Ricimer why dont you give us a couple of links so we can take a peek at them.


Mike

 

[Skimmy]

yes, the p.m. one is small, but i do love that one. if you called them they would make you one to your dimentions, but im sure thats not too cheap.

 

[DonW]

Alot depends on what your expectations are, and why your using kalk.

Don

 

[ricimer]

I would like to keep calcium around 400ppm and alk between 9 and 10 in a 210gal mixed reef tank and be able to wait at least 2 weeks before having to add more powder (a month would be better!).

 

[DonW]

Those are some pretty high expectations from kalkwasser and a reactor. Id get one that be stirred frequently and slowly without clouding. Either the deltec or a barr aquatics.

Don

 

[ricimer]

I have no experience at all with kalkwasser. Why are those expectations high? What should be a realistic expectation in regards to water parameters and frequency of powder additions?

 

[ricimer]

Also I would like to ask: does a greater volume of water necessarily mean you can wait longer to add more powder? I understand that if you have a bigger system you need a greater volume of water to put more powder because it's exhausted more quickly. But can you use the extra volume to put more powder with the purpose of having it last longer without adding more? Or is it so that you cannot wait too long anyway before adding/replacing powder because the kalkwasser solution will loose quality?

 

[ricimer]

To Mojoreef's request here are the links to the different products so far. It helps and brings confusion alltogether. Only one thing is clear: the Deltec is out of price and out of the question. I have posted a thred elsewhere too and it seems several persons like the Barr kalkreactor.
AE Tech:
https://www.oceanaquatics.com/view_product.php?product=Kr-Model2200
PM:
http://www.precisionmarine.com/html/kalkreactor.html
Barr:
http://www.barraquatic.com/kalk.php
Deltec:
http://www.deltecusa.us/kalkwasserstirrers/index.php
MRC:
http://www.myreefcreations.com/nilsen.htm
GEO:
http://www.geosreef.com/nielsen_reactors.htm
Aquamedic model 1:
http://www.aquadirect.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=50&cat=32&page=1
Aquamedic model 2:
http://www.ultimateaquatics.co.uk/acatalog/Aquamedic_Calcium_Reactors___Acessories.html

 

[chazbier]

This is a cheap solution I used for eight years on my 30g reef and will use again once I set up my new 20g reef. Take a plastic container that is large enough for your needs. Stick a tube in the bottom or near the bottom and seal around the tube. Put a float valve at the end of the tube and toss it in the sump. Fill the container with RO/DI water and Kalkwasser and put a powerhead into the container to keep the kalkwasser mixing around. As your water evaporates your tank will be topped off by the Kalkwasser mix. Add liquid calcium if needed. I use Kent for both Kalkwasser and Liquid calcium.

 

[DonW]

I have no experience at all with kalkwasser. Why are those expectations high? What should be a realistic expectation in regards to water parameters and frequency of powder additions?

Kalk is fairly limited as to how well it can maintain ca and alk. Really just depends on your tank and its consumers. You can get more out of kalk by using a more pure product and a efficient mixer. Slow mixing frequent mixing will keep the effluent saturated at a ph above 12. The slow part is the key so that you dont cloud the effluent with powder. The power head models blast the kalk around a few times a day. These require a big volume so you are useing what is mixed between mixings. The mag stirrer models cloud the bottom only and pull the upper effluent down into the cloud with a vortex.
With the powerhead you loose saturation the further you get from the mixing cycle. You cant just mix more often or youll end up with powder in the tank.
With the slow mixing you can mix after every top-off cycle and never loose saturation or get powder in the tank.
For example my top-off runs 60 seconds, shuts off/ Then the stirrer mixes 15 second then shuts off. This happens 145 times average during a 24 hour period. It comes really close to emulating the 24/7 mixing of the deltec and keeps the effluent ph at a constant above 12.7 which is as good as it gets with kalk.

Hope some of that made sense.
Don

 

[o2manyfish]

Depending on the size of the reactor - You need to look at the different means for stirring.

The magnetic stirrers are noisy and in a larger reactor with a deep reserve of kalk on the bottom, have a high probability for getting stuck in the kalk sludge.

Those with pumps to mix have variable reliability depending how the plumbing is rigged. Because you are mixing Kalk in a maximum concentration, the unabsorbed / dissolved kalk that is mixed into the chamber (via the pump) acts as an abrasive and wears the pump components at a very accellerated rate.

Also dependent upon the plumbing the pump can become clogged (quickly).

The stir bar is really reliable, and silent. The Deltec has a great design, and its easy to open and add more kalk mix. The additional price will pay off pretty quickly via lack of frustration.

Personally I built myself a 9g Kalk Mixer, out of some spare 14" Acrylic cylinder. I tried the magnetic stirrer. I ended up just suspending a RIO 80 from the top about 1/4 from the top and putting it on a timer that cycles it 3 times a day.

In 3 years I have replaced the impeller and shaft once. And the pump have never failed or seized.

My reactor holds about 10lbs of Kalk to only have 1.5" of residual on the bottom. That lasts me about 3-4 weeks.

Dave B